Director: David Twohy
Starring: Vin Diesel, Jordi Molla, Katee Sackhoff, Matt Nable, Dave Bautista, Karl Urban
Certificate: 15
If ever there was a character that let success go to his head, it was Vin Diesel’s intergalactic outlaw Richard B. Riddick. Then again, if ever there was a character that deserved a second chance and redeem himself, it was the gravelly-toned skinhead. My love of David Twohy’s cult science-fiction thriller PITCH BLACK knows little bounds. The indie film was one of the stand-out genre entries in 1999 and arguably gave birth to the best conflicted antihero since Kurt Russell’s Snake Plissken. Granted Riddick’s not as cutting edge in the clever and comedic wisecracks but his sardonic put-downs were as sharp as his weaponry. For me, PITCH BLACK is Diesel’s finest role to date and while his return some four years later with overindulgent sequel THE CHRONICLES OF RIDDICK failed to live up to expectations, the character had his moments.
So, Diesel and writer/director Twohy reunite for a plagued-produced sequel that was only finally back on track thanks to a deal Diesel made with his FAST & FURIOUS financiers Universal Studios. This only after the original backers pulled out just weeks into principle photography, causing production to be shut down for a a short time. Thankfully, RIDDICK most definitely goes back to basics, much like its short and simple title, with a lean and mean screenplay initially keeping the dialogue to a minimum as the now King of Helion Prime is desperate to find that animal instinct again and return to his home planet of Furyan. Diesel carries the first third of the film on his bold shoulders after finding himself betrayed and stuck on a distant and dying world by a wasted Karl Urban, who briefly returns from CHRONICLES as Lord Vaako to seek revenge.
While many of us fans thought going back to basics was indeed the correct idea for a character first introduced as a mysterious, albeit cool-as-hell and callous serial-killer, you can’t help but think the remaining two-thirds of RIDDICK is essentially a rerun of the events from PITCH BLACK. This threequel may not boast originality but it’s certainly a way better and thrilling adventure than the previous film. Riddick is most definitely back to his selfish best and whether taking out big grotesque alien beasties or a squadron of unlikable mercenaries after his head, he does so with awesome brutality and skill in a number of pretty damn awesome set-pieces. The only two Mercs worthy of notice being Matt Nable and Katee Sackhoff, who helpfully stick around to pitch in with some killer action of their own. Just try and forget the cringe-worthy line Diesel utters to the latter square-jawed beauty. Nice it is not!
What’s perhaps the most impressive touch is a specific character’s link back to a pivotal and equally conflicted player in PITCH BLACK. I’ll not spoil it for those who didn’t see RIDDICK in theatres but it’s something that moves this movie up a notch and helps to remind us Diesel wasn’t the only one deserved major credit after that first film.
[usr=3]RIDDICK is released on DVD and Blu-ray in the UK from the 13th January 2014.
